TONIGHT, THE BIGGEST STORM OF THE YEAR HITS CHINA, CAUSING MASS EVACUATIONS, WHILE THE DEATH TOLL FROM THE TYPHOON RISES ELSEWHERE. A SPRING SNOWSTORM CAUSES DISRUPTION IN CENTRAL OTAGO, CUTTING FLIGHTS AND CAUSING PROBLEMS ON THE ROADS. PLUS ON THE TRACK WITH SCOTT DIXON AND HIS RECORD-BREAKING DRIVE AT THE INDY CAR CHAMPIONSHIP IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. CAPTIONS BY CAMERON GRIGG AND CATHERINE DE CHALAIN. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT ABLE 2018 THE STRONGEST STORM ON EARTH THIS YEAR HAS BARRELLED THROUGH HONG KONG AND SOUTHERN CHINA, RIPPING APART BUILDINGS, FLOODING STREETS, AND DISPLACING MILLIONS OF PEOPLE. THE DEATH TOLL FROM THE TYPHOON HAS NOW RISEN TO 65 IN THE PHILIPPINES, WITH DOZENS OF OTHERS STILL MISSING UNDER LANDSLIDES. CHANNEL NINE'S MARK BURROWS. THEY BRACED FOR A TYPHOON ` FIRST PUNCH CAME FROM A TORNADO. (YELLING IN CANTONESE) WHEN AN OCEAN VIEW CAN BE A LIABILITY. YUM CHA AT THE SHERATON SHENZHEN, NEAR HONG KONG. (GLASS SMASHING) A HOTEL LOBBY DESERTED, TURNED IN TO A WAVE POOL. SHELL-SHOCKED LOCALS HIT SOCIAL MEDIA WITH IMAGE AFTER IMAGE. 190 KM/H CAN BE HARD TO IMAGINE. THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS AND SOUNDS LIKE. (WINDS HOWLING) WITH WIND SPEEDS SO STRONG, A BROLLY CAN ACT LIKE A SAIL. POUNDING SEAS AND A TORNADO IS SCARY ENOUGH. (THUNDER ROLLS) (BYSTANDERS YELL) ALMOST JUST AS BAD WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE APARTMENT HIGH RISE NEXT DOOR AND NOTICE IT'S GENTLY SWAYING. BAMBOO SCAFFOLDING PEELED OFF BUILDING SITES. ANYTHING FLIMSY WAS BOWLED OVER WITH EASE. (CRASHING) WINDOWS WERE BLOWN OUT FROM OFFICE BUILDINGS, ONE WAR-TORN HIGH-RISE LEFT LOOKING LIKE IT HAD BEEN SHELLED. (YELLING IN CANTONESE) AND TREES THAT HAD STOOD FOR YEARS UPROOTED LIKE THEY WERE SAPLINGS. CHINA'S METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE CALLED IT 'THE KING OF STORMS', AND STILL PEOPLE RISKED THEIR LIVES OUTSIDE. (GROUP YELL IN CANTONESE) HONG KONG SOMEHOW MANAGED TO AVOID MASS CASUALTIES, UNLIKE THE PHILIPPINES, WHERE MANGKHUT STRUCK FIRST. (CHAINSAWS BUZZ) DOZENS HAVE BEEN KILLED IN LANDSLIDES THERE, AND RESCUERS ARE STILL DIGGING THROUGH THE MUD. THEY'RE SEARCHING FOR A GROUP OF MINERS AND THEIR FAMILIES WHO HID IN A CHAPEL DURING THE STORM, WHICH IS NOW BURIED UNDER A COLLAPSED MOUNTAIN. THE STORM HAS NOW BEEN DOWNGRADED FROM TYPHOON STATUS. IT'S HEADING WEST, AND SHOULD BRUSH THE BORDER, NOW, WITH NORTH VIETNAM. CLOSE TO 1500 PROPERTIES IN THE WAKATIPU REGION WILL REMAIN IN THE DARK TONIGHT AFTER HEAVY SNOWFALL KNOCKED DOWN POWER LINES. THE EXTREME WEATHER CONDITIONS ACROSS CENTRAL OTAGO ALSO DISRUPTED TRAVEL AND CLOSED BOTH SCHOOLS AND SKI-FIELDS TODAY. LISA DAVIES REPORTS. IT WAS PICTURESQUE... AND TREACHEROUS IN EQUAL MEASURE. WOKE UP TO THIS THIS MORNING NOT EXPECTING THIS AT ALL, SO... YEAH, IT WAS PRETTY UNREAL. (LAUGHS) THIS SNOWSTORM FORCING GROUND CREWS TO WORK OVERTIME AT QUEENSTOWN AIRPORT FOR THE THIRD TIME THIS YEAR. WE HAD SOME ROUGH WEATHER IN THE FORECAST, BUT WE CERTAINLY DIDN'T ANTICIPATE ANYWHERE NEAR AS MUCH SNOW AS THIS. DESPITE THEIR BEST EFFORTS, PLANES WEREN'T GOING ANYWHERE. ACTUALLY, OUR FLIGHT HAS BEEN CANCELLED TWO TIMES. CARDRONA SKI FIELD NEAR WANAKA WAS CLOSED FOR BUSINESS TOO, BUT THEY WERE CELEBRATING. WHAT AN AMAZING SPRING STORM. WE NEVER GET SNOWFALLS TO THIS MAGNITUDE IN SPRING, AND WHAT A TREAT IT IS. 50 CENTIMETRES OF SNOW AND STILL FALLING, ENSURING THEY'LL BE OPEN UNTIL THE END OF OCTOBER. IN CENTRAL OTAGO'S OMAKAU, FARMERS SAY THIS LATE SNOW IS AN INCONVENIENCE, WITH LAMBING AND CALVING WELL AND TRULY UNDERWAY. 14 SCHOOLS CLOSED IN THE REGION. ELECTRICITY'S BEEN RESTORED TO MORE THAN 3000 CUSTOMERS, BUT MORE THAN 1500 CAN EXPECT TO BE WITHOUT POWER OVERNIGHT. THE LINDIS PASS CREATING ITS OWN TEST... OH, THESE CHAINS ARE CHALLENGING. HEY, HEY! NOT GOOD. ...FOR THOSE WHO AREN'T USED TO THE CONDITIONS. WHAT DO YOU RECKON? BIT COLD. WE WERE HEADING TO WANAKA, BUT I THINK WE MIGHT JUST GO BACK THE WAY WE CAME. SNOW CAN CERTAINLY BE A HASSLE. IT'S LOVELY. IT'S ABSOLUTELY MAGICAL. IT'S WONDERFUL. BUT IT'S BEAUTY, EVEN IN SPRING, CANNOT BE DENIED. LISA DAVIES, ONE NEWS. IT'S BEEN THREE DAYS SINCE EX-HURRICANE FLORENCE MADE LANDFALL IN THE UNITED STATES, BUT THE THREAT OF FLOODING IS NOW WORSE THAN EVER. SO FAR 18 PEOPLE HAVE DIED BUT THAT NUMBER IS EXPECTED TO RISE. HERE'S CHANNEL NINE'S CHARLES CROUCHER. CARS UNDERWATER AND BOATS IN BACK YARDS. THIS IS LIFE UNDER RELENTLESS RAIN FROM FORMER HURRICANE FLORENCE. THIS STORM HAS NEVER BEEN MORE DANGEROUS THAN IT IS RIGHT NOW. TRUCKS DELIVERING VITAL SUPPLIES STRUGGLING AGAINST THE TIDE. RESCUERS NOW FORCED TO CHOPPER IN. WHOLE CITIES CUT OFF, PARALYSED BY RAIN YET RUNNING OUT OF WATER. FLOODWATERS ARE STILL RAGING ACROSS PARTS OF OUR STATE, AND THE RISK TO LIFE IS RISING WITH THE ANGRY WATERS. IN THE THREE DAYS SINCE FLORENCE MADE LANDFALL, MORE THAN A DOZEN PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED, CLOSE TO A MILLION ARE STILL WITHOUT POWER AND MORE THAN 20,000 HOMES ARE DAMAGED. IN CHARLOTTE, WATER-LOGGED SOIL SENT THIS TREE INTO A HOUSE. A MOTHER AND CHILD WERE INSIDE. IT'S AN AWFUL FEELING, YOU KNOW. I'M JUST WAITING FOR IT TO GO AWAY, AND I FEEL FOR EVERYBODY. THE SITUATION ON THE ROADS HERE IS SO BAD, THE NATIONAL TRANSPORT AUTHORITY SAYS DRIVERS SHOULD AVOID THE STATE ALL TOGETHER. TREES LIKE THAT MEAN DRIVERS HAVE TO GO AROUND A STATE THAT'S TWICE THE SIZE OF TASMANIA. A DOZEN BEAGLES PLUCKED TO SAFETY THIS AFTERNOON, BUT THERE'S MUCH HEAVIER LIFTING TO COME. THE VERY FIRST COUNT OF AUCKLAND'S HOMELESS POPULATION IS UNDERWAY. IN THE PAST HOUR, AROUND 1000 VOLUNTEERS HAVE TAKEN TO THE STREETS ACROSS THE REGION LOOKING FOR ANYONE SLEEPING ROUGH. BEFORE HEADING OUT, THEY WERE BRIEFED ON THEIR TASK AND ON HOW TO STAY SAFE. THE RESULTS OF THE COUNT WILL BE RELEASED NEXT MONTH, AND ORGANISERS SAY THAT WILL GIVE THEM A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW TO BEST TACKLE THE PROBLEM. RYAN BOSWELL REPORTS. VICTOR SAVAGE SPENDS HIS DAY WANDERING CENTRAL AUCKLAND I AM MAGIC. I AM THE KING OF THE STREET. HE'S BEEN LIVING HERE OFF AND ON MOST OF HIS ADULT LIFE, WITH FOOD AND BLANKETS SUPPLIED BY THE CITY MISSION. I NORMALLY SLEEP IN A CAR PARK WHERE NO ONE CAN FIND ME. TONIGHT, HUNDREDS OF VOLUNTEERS WILL BE TRYING TO TRACK HIM DOWN, AS WELL AS OTHERS WHO ARE SLEEPING ROUGH IN OUR BIGGEST CITY. WE NEED TO KNOW WHY PEOPLE ARE OUT ON THE STREET AND WHAT THE NATURE OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE. WHEN WE'VE GOT THAT INFORMATION, THEN WE CAN MAKE STEPS TOWARDS RESOLVING THE PROBLEM. DR KATE AMORE FROM OTAGO UNIVERSITY HAS BEEN LOOKING AT HOMELESSNESS FOR TWO DECADES. SHE SAYS, WHILE THE CENSUS GIVES A SNAPSHOT OF THE PROBLEM, MANY PEOPLE DON'T GET COUNTED. WE KNOW THE MAIN CAUSE IS THE MISMATCH BETWEEN AFFORDABILITY OF HOUSING AND PEOPLE'S INCOME, SO WE KNOW THAT IF THERE WAS A PLENTIFUL SUPPLY OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WE WOULDN'T REALLY HAVE A HOMELESS PROBLEM. THERE ARE ALSO ISSUES OF MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED. HER RESEARCH SHOWS HALF OF THOSE WHO ARE HOMELESS ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 25. HALF OF HOMELESS ADULTS ARE WORKING, STUDYING OR BOTH. THE STEREOTYPE OF A HOMELESS PERSON WAS AN ALCOHOLIC, MIDDLE-AGED, OLDER MAN ON THE STREET, BUT THAT PICTURE HAS DEFINITELY CHANGED. THE GOVERNMENT'S HOUSING FIRST PROGRAMME HAS FUNDING TO TAKE ALMOST 600 PEOPLE OFF THE STREETS IN AUCKLAND. MY ULTIMATE GOAL IS TRY TO GET ME MYSELF INDOORS, BUT I'M NOT REALLY AN INDOOR PERSON. SO VICTOR STILL WANTS TO MAKE SURE HE'S COUNTED, IN CASE HE DECIDES TO GET A ROOF OVER HIS HEAD. A CHILD'S IN A CRITICAL CONDITION AFTER A NEAR-FATAL DROWNING IN THE WAIKATO. THE INCIDENT HAPPENED AT A PRIVATE ADDRESS IN BROADLANDS AT AROUND 6PM. THE CHILD'S NOW BEEN TAKEN TO ROTORUA HOSPITAL. NEW ZEALAND'S DEFENCE FORCE DEPLOYMENTS TO IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN HAVE BEEN EXTENDED UNTIL NEXT YEAR. WE HAVE 143 PERSONNEL IN IRAQ HELPING TRAIN SECURITY FORCES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST ISIS. THAT NUMBER WILL DROP TO 121 FROM NOVEMBER, WITH THE MISSION EXTENDED TO JUNE. THE DEPLOYMENT OF 11 STAFF TO AFGHANISTAN WILL BE EXTENDED UNTIL SEPTEMBER. BUT PRIME MINISTER JACINDA ARDERN SAYS NEW ZEALAND'S ROLE WILL LIKELY CHANGE IN THE FUTURE. WHAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER IS MAKING SURE THAT WE FULFIL OUR COMMITMENTS WHILST ALSO ACKNOWLEDGING THAT WE HAVE BEEN THERE FOR SOME TIME. THE CONTRIBUTION BY NEW ZEALAND HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANT, SO WE WILL BE LOOKING AT ALL OPTIONS AT THAT POINT. THREE PEACE-KEEPING MISSIONS TO THE MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA WERE ALSO EXTENDED. FIRST IT WAS NEEDLES IN STRAWBERRIES. NOW BANANAS ARE CAUGHT UP IN FOOD SAFETY SCARES ACROSS THE DITCH. AUSTRALIAN POLICE HAVE ISSUED A REWARD OF MORE THAN $100,000 FOR INFORMATION AMID CONCERNS COPYCATS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LATEST SABOTAGE. TWO MAJOR NEW ZEALAND SUPERMARKET COMPANIES HAVE STOPPED DISTRIBUTION OF AUSTRALIAN STRAWBERRIES. OUR MINISTRY FOR PRIMARY INDUSTRIES SAYS IT'S CONFIDENT NONE OF THE CONTAMINATED STRAWBERRIES HAVE MADE THEIR WAY TO NEW ZEALAND. MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE TO SUPPORT MALE VICTIMS OF SEX ABUSE, SAY SURVIVORS WHO'RE CONCERNED THAT MEN ARE BEING LEFT BEHIND. THEY SAY WHILE THE GLOBAL 'ME TOO' MOVEMENT HAS DRAWN ATTENTION TO THE ISSUE FOR WOMEN, MANY MEN ARE SILENTLY LIVING WITH THE TRAUMA. EMILY COOPER HAS MORE. FORMER POLICE OFFICER GEOFF CAVELL WAS SEXUALLY ABUSED BY A FAMILY MEMBER FROM THE AGE OF 7. THE SCAB HAS ONLY JUST BEEN PICKED OFF THIS SORE, SO I THINK IT'S A PERTINENT TIME, NOW THAT WOUND HAS BEEN OPENED UP, THAT WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT IT A LOT MORE, A LOT MORE OPENLY. AND WHILE THE 'ME TOO' MOVEMENT'S GAINED GLOBAL ATTENTION, CRITICS SAY IT FORGETS MEN CAN ALSO BE VICTIMS, AS TVNZ'S SUNDAY PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTED LAST NIGHT. MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE JUST TO TALK. IT'S AMAZING. IT'S INCREDIBLE. THE 'ME TOO' MOVEMENT HAS REALLY BROUGHT CONVERSATIONS LIKE THIS TO THE FOREFRONT. BUT MOSTLY IT'S WOMEN WHO ARE TALKING ABOUT THAT. I BELIEVE THERE ARE JUST AS MANY MALE VICTIMS. ADVOCATES SAY MORE SUPPORT'S NEEDED FOR MEN DEALING WITH THE FALLOUT OF SUCH ABUSE. WE HAVEN'T DONE VERY WELL IN LOOKING AT THE RESEARCH INTO BOYS AND MEN IN NEW ZEALAND, WHICH LETS US DOWN BADLY. THE MINISTRY OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT SAYS WHILE IT ALREADY FUNDS SERVICES FOR MALE SURVIVORS OF SEX ABUSE, IT'S ALSO COMMISSIONED NEW RESEARCH TO FIND OUT WHICH SUPPORT AND SERVICES WORKS BEST FOR THEM. IT'S SOMETHING KELVIN DAVIS HAS SPOKEN OUT ABOUT. NOW HE'S A MINISTER, HE SAYS HE IS DETERMINED TO DO MORE. IT HAS SUCH A PROFOUND EFFECT ON PEOPLE. AS THE MINISTER OF CORRECTIONS, I SEE IT ON A REGULAR BASIS, MEN TELLING ME ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE OF BEING ABUSED. I THINK WE NEED TO FOCUS ON THIS PROBLEM AND START TO DEAL WITH IT IN A PROPER WAY. THE BIGGEST PROBLEM IS ACTUALLY SPEAKING ABOUT IT, AND MEN, TRADITIONALLY, HAVEN'T BEEN VERY GOOD ABOUT IT. SOMETHING HE HOPES WILL CONTINUE TO CHANGE WITH THE CHANGING TIMES. EMILY COOPER, 1 NEWS. COMING UP AFTER THE BREAK, THE PRIME MINISTER LOOKS BACK AT AN EXTRAORDINARY EIGHT WEEKS THAT SAW HER GAIN THE TOP JOB. A NEW BOOK IS LAUNCHED ON THE ELECTION. PLUS SCOTT DIXON DRIVES INTO THE RECORD BOOKS. THE KIWI SPEEDSTER CLAIMS HIS FIFTH INDY CAR CHAMPIONSHIP. WE ARE TRACKSIDE WITH THE HIM. THE PRIME MINISTER'S HELPED LAUNCHED THE BOOK 'STARDUST AND SUBSTANCE' ABOUT LAST YEAR'S GENERAL ELECTION IN WELLINGTON THIS EVENING. AT THE LAUNCH, JACINDA ARDERN READ AN EXTRACT FROM A PIECE SHE WROTE FOR THE BOOK. LARGE CHUNKS OF THAT PERIOD REMAIN A BIT OF, IN TERMS OF THE ELECTION, A BIT OF A BLUR, AND PART OF WHAT I CALL P.E.T ` POST-ELECTION TRAUMA. (CROWD CHUCKLES) I CAN TELL YOU, I STILL HAVE IT. (CROWD LAUGHS) THERE'S NO DOUBT, THOUGH, THAT 2017 WILL REMAIN THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY YEAR OF MY LIFE,... RIVALLED ONLY BY 2018, I HAVE TO SAY. THE BOOK'S CHAPTERS ARE WRITTEN BY JOURNALISTS, INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS, LOCAL ACADEMICS, AND THE VARIOUS PARTY LEADERS. IT IS THE 11TH IN THE SERIES, WHICH IS COMPILED AFTER EACH GENERAL ELECTION. THE BOOK IS ALREADY OUT OF STOCK. STREETS IN SALISBURY REMAIN CORDONED OFF TONIGHT AFTER TWO PEOPLE BECAME ILL AT A LOCAL RESTAURANT. THE ENGLISH CITY HAS BEEN ON HIGH ALERT SINCE MARCH, WHEN A FORMER RUSSIAN SPY AND HIS DAUGHTER WERE POISONED WITH THE TOXIC NERVE AGENT NOVICHOK. TODAY, A HAZARDOUS RESPONSE TEAM WERE CALLED TO THE PREZZO ITALIAN RESTAURANT AFTER A 'MEDICAL INCIDENT'. AT THIS STAGE, POLICE SAY THEIR RESPONSE IS A 'PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE'. AUTHORITIES IN TEXAS BELIEVE THEY'VE CAUGHT A SERIAL KILLER AFTER THE ARREST OF A US BORDER CONTROL AGENT. THE AGENT IS CHARGED WITH MURDERING FOUR WOMEN IN THE PAST SIX WEEKS. JUAN DAVID ORTIZ HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH THE KILLINGS, WHO ARE ALL BELIEVED TO BE SEX WORKERS. ACCORDING TO POLICE, ORTIZ TRIED TO ABDUCT A FIFTH WOMAN AT THE WEEKEND, BUT SHE MANAGED TO GET AWAY AND RAISE THE ALARM. KIWI MOTOR RACER SCOTT DIXON HAS DRIVEN INTO THE RECORD BOOKS IN THE FINAL INDY CAR RACE OF THE SEASON IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. HIS LATEST VICTORY PUTS HIM SECOND ONLY TO THE GREAT AJ FOYT, WHO CLOCKED UP SEVEN INDY CAR VICTORIES. SEVEN SHARP'S MICHAEL HOLLAND WAS THE ONLY KIWI JOURNALIST IN SONOMA TO WITNESS NOT ONLY THE EXTRAORDINARY WIN BUT ALSO THE DRAMA BEHIND THE SCENES. FOR US, IT'S 85 LAPS OF A TWISTING TRACK AND TWO HOURS MINUTES OF ACTION. FOR A WIFE, IT'S AN EXCRUCIATING ORDEAL, WAITING AND HOPING BEYOND HOPE. I'M PROBABLY GONNA GO MISSING AND JUST PRETEND NOTHING'S HAPPENING. EMMA DIXON, WIFE OF OUR SCOTT, WANTING TO BE CLOSE, BUT NOT RIGHT IN ON TEAM STRATEGY AND ALL THE UNCERTAINTIES THAT GOES WITH MOTORSPORT AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL. I NORMALLY HAVE VERBAL DIARRHOEA, WHICH I THINK YOU'RE PROBABLY WORKED OUT, BUT I HAVE NOTHING TO SAY TODAY. A BIT OF A CHANGE FROM HER MORE CONFIDENT MOOD WHEN THE START WAS STILL SOME WAY OFF. HOW MANY FINGERS? ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE. FIVE THE MAGIC NUMBER IN DIXON'S SIGHTS ` FIVE INDY CAR CHAMPIONSHIPS, SECOND ONLY TO THE SEVEN OF THE LEGENDARY AJ FOYT. SCOTT, THERE'S A WHOLE COUNTRY THAT WOULD SAY YOU DESERVE THIS FIFTH TITLE. WHAT DO YOU RECKON? I AGREE. (LAUGHS) NO, NO. HEY, YOU KNOW, YOU GOTTA FIGHT FOR WHAT YOU WANT. AND FIVE SOUNDS GOOD ` BETTER THAN FOUR. WE WITNESSED SOMETHING THAT HASN'T BEEN DONE IN HALF A CENTURY! SCOTT DIXON IS A FIVE-TIME INDYCAR CHAMPION! AND FIVE ` A GENUINE FISTFUL ` IT NOW IS. DIXON'S IMMENSE TALENT AND EMMA'S ARRAY OF FACIAL EXPRESSIONS TAKE HIM INTO RAREFIED INDYCAR AIR. THE SO-CALLED 'ICE MAN' LOSES HIS COOL FOR ALL THE RIGHT REASONS. WHAT DOES IT MEAN? IT'S HUGE, MAN. HUGE. JUST FOR THE TEAM SITUATION ` THE TEAM'S 12TH INDYCAR CHAMPIONSHIP; YOU KNOW, IT'S ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF EMMA'S DAD'S PASSING; IT'S JUST SUPER-EMOTIONAL, AND YOU KNOW, I CAN'T THANK EMMA ENOUGH. MUM AND DAD BACK HOME TOO. I WISH YOU WERE HERE, BUT WE DID IT. WE DID IT. THE GUY'S A CHAMPION FOR THE FIFTH TIME, AND HE'S IN THE RECORD BOOKS FAIRLY DEEP, FAIRLY DEEP IN THERE. I LIKE THAT. AND THERE MIGHT BE MORE. HELL, YEAH, I HOPE THERE IS. HE'S A GOOD BOY. YEAH, HE'S THE BEST. FORMER TEAMMATE DARIO FRANCHITTI IS AMONG THOSE LINING UP TO PRAISE THE DRIVER UNIVERSALLY ACCLAIMED FOR HIS UNSTINTING DESIRE. HE STILL WANTS IT AS MUCH AS HE DID WHEN HE WAS THAT LITTLE CHUBBY KID THAT CAME OVER FROM NEW ZEALAND ALL THOSE YEARS AGO, AND I THINK THAT IS PROBABLY HIS BIGGEST GIFT, ALONG WITH HIS TALENT. WASH YOUR MOUTH OUT! 'LITTLE CHUBBY KID'? (CHUCKLES) HE WASN'T SO LITTLE, BUT HE WAS DEFINITELY CHUBBY. AND REAFFIRMING DIXON'S EARLY ROOTS IN KART RACING BACK HOME. WE COME OVER JUST TO SEE SCOTT DIXON WIN HIS FIFTH TITLE; NOTHING ELSE, JUST TO SEE THAT. A LAD FROM NEW PLYMOUTH WITH A BAD CASE OF 'COULD THIS BE ME ONE DAY?' JUST REMIND ME WHEN WE LAST MET. AT THE NATIONAL KARTING CHAMPS IN 2012. AND YOU WERE ABOUT THIS HIGH? YES, I WAS, TO BE EXACT. AND NOW YOU'RE RUBBING SHOULDERS WITH SCOTT DIXON? YEAH, IT'S REALLY GOOD. WE'VE HAD A LOT OF CHANCES TO MEET SCOTT DIXON. MET HIM, AND I EVEN GOT HIS SIGNATURE. SPEAKING OF SHOULDERS ` ON THE SHOULDER. YEAH. YEAH, ON THE SHOULDER. (CHUCKLES) THEN THERE'S THE AUCKLAND... LET'S CALL HIM A 'FAN' RATHER THAN 'GROUPIE', WHO COULDN'T RESIST A QUICK WEEKEND TRIP TO CALIFORNIA TO WITNESS SOMETHING SPECIAL. HE'S GONNA GO DOWN AS ONE OF THE BEST. NOT FLASHY? NO, HE'S NOT FLASHY ` HE JUST DOES THE JOB, AND HE DOES IT WELL. DIXON'S RIVALS ARE PROBABLY NONE TOO PLEASED HE SIGNED A MULTI-YEAR EXTENSION WITH CHIP GANASSI RACING, TAKING THEIR PARTNERSHIP TO ALMOST 20 YEARS. HE'S NOT JUST HERE BECAUSE HE LIKES DRIVING A RACING CAR; HE WANTS TO WIN. SOME EVEN SUGGESTING DIXON MIGHT YET NEED BOTH HANDS TO KEEP TALLY OF ALL HIS TITLES. IF HE CAN KEEP THAT DESIRE AND THE TEAM KEEP GIVING HIM GOOD CARS, WHO KNOWS? I'M JUST CAN'T BELIEVE HE'S DONE IT. I'M SO PROUD OF HIM. FIVE IS NOT EASY. LIKE, TO GET FIVE. BUT FOR THE LAST WORD, A YOUNG MAN WHO'S GROWING UP QUICK AND KNOWS EXACTLY WHOSE TYRE TRACKS HE'S FOLLOWING. AND THAT COULD BE YOU UP THERE ONE DAY? YES, HOPEFULLY. IT WOULD BE NICE. YES, IT WOULD BE VERY NICE. (CHUCKLES) THE TALL BLACKS HAVE COME OUT ON TOP IN THEIR WORLD CUP QUALIFIER MATCH AGAINST LEBANON IN ROTORUA TONIGHT. THE HOME SIDE WERE PLAYING CATCH-UP FOR MOST OF THE MATCH WITH POOR SHOOTING FROM THE FIELD, BUT MANAGED TO COME BACK FOR A 63-60 WIN. THE TALL BLACKS' DEFENSIVE EFFORT IN THE FINAL MINUTES WON IT FOR THEM, RESULTING IN AN AIR-BALL FROM LEBANON. I'VE GOT A LOT OF PRIDE IN THE GUYS, AND THE WAY THEY STUCK WITH IT THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE GAME. WE KIND OF KEPT TALKING ABOUT JUST STAYING WITH THE PROCESS OF WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO DO, BUT I THOUGHT LEBANON CAME IN AND WERE EXTREMELY TOUGH, AND THEY WERE GRINDING IT OUT AS WELL. IT'S THE TALL BLACKS' SEVENTH STRAIGHT QUALIFYING VICTORY, WHICH MEANS THEY NOW SIT TOP OF THEIR WORLD CUP QUALIFIER POOL. JUST AHEAD, YOUR WEATHER FOR TOMORROW. PLUS, OH MR DARCY! HOLD ON TO YOUR BONNET. FANS OF JANE AUSTEN ARE IN BATH CELEBRATING THE AUTHOR'S WORK. THE LIFE AND WORK OF THE NOVELIST JANE AUSTEN IS BEING CELEBRATED IN STYLE ON THE STREETS OF BATH. THERE WERE BONNETS APLENTY AND REGENCY STYLE COSTUMES FOR HUNDREDS OF AUSTEN ENTHUSIASTS PROMENADING THROUGH THE TOWN. FOR HER TIME SHE WAS VERY MODERN, I THINK, AND I WORK IN A LIBRARY, SO I HAVE READ ALL HER NOVELS, AND I LIKE MR DARCY. (LAUGHS) I LOVE THE STORIES, AND I LOVE THE SATIRE IN THEM AND I LOVE THE PERIOD. JANE AUSTEN FANS CAN RETRACE THE NOVELISTS' FOOTSTEPS STEPS IN BATH, THE CITY SHE MADE HER HOME IN THE EARLY 1800'S. HERE'S A LOOK AT THE WEATHER FOR TUREI ` TUESDAY. FOR WEATHER, SEE TVNZ.CO.NZ. THAT'S IT FROM US HERE ON TONIGHT. THANKS FOR WATCHING. GOODNIGHT. CAPTIONS BY CAMERON GRIGG AND CATHERINE DE CHALAIN.